


Friends On The Other Side

by doctorsdaughter



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), The Princess and the Frog (2009)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Comfort, Cooking, Cooking Show, Dark Curse, Evil Queen - Freeform, Fluff, Multi, New Orleans, OC, Once Upon A Time, Prologue, Regina Mills - Freeform, Robert Carlyle - Freeform, Robin Hood - Freeform, Rumplestiltskin - Freeform, Rumplestiltskin Elements, Storybrooke, Tiana - Freeform, anika noni rose, belle/rumple, chaptered fic, charlotte - Freeform, cooking show au, elements of fluff intertwined, enchanted forest, naveen - Freeform, oc x character, royal chef
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-02
Updated: 2015-05-02
Packaged: 2018-03-26 17:41:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3859129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doctorsdaughter/pseuds/doctorsdaughter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>We all have missed our favorite new princess, Tiana, in Once Upon a Time. Here is her story...with a little twists and turns.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Friends On The Other Side

**Author's Note:**

> Okay this is just the beginning, sticking mostly to how Tiana would intertwine :)
> 
> Thank you Neda, Mom, and Maggie for MAJOR BETA-ING

For as long as Tiana could remember, she had cooked every day of her life. Her family always taught her to help others, so at a young age she opened a food shelter for the poorer people of her town to come and have a cheap meal.

Word spread quickly of her talents and the restaurant, all the way to the Regina, Queen of the Enchanted Forest...(actually there were one too many for Tiana to keep track of). One day the Queen herself came into the restaurant, wanting to test whether or not the rumor of “the kingdom’s best food” were true.

Like most people, Tiana’s eyes blew wide as she quickly bowed before the Queen, giving her the best table and allowed her to order whatever she desired. As a way to test Tiana’s speed and overall talent, the Queen ordered one of everything, enjoying watching Tiana's forehead glisten with sweat, even though she had to admit, the food was fantastic. When she was done, Tiana was visibly exhausted, but was offered a place on the Royal Court as Royal Chef, cooking delicacies for royals, balls, dances, parties, whatever royal event went on.

While this certainly was an enticing offer, Tiana refused to forget where she came from. She bowed before the Queen and accepted the amazing offer -- on one condition.

"You are going to hand me a condition?" Regina laughed, but pursed her lips. "Go on, child. Amuse me.”

Tiana explained that the only reason the Queen was even here in her restaurant was because of all the wonderful people who ate there. She didn't want to turn them away.

"Child," Regina laughed. "You quite obviously care for your village, but you simply can't have both. Peasants? In my tower?"

Tiana pleaded again, saying the only place the peasants would go would be her royal wing of the tower. Regina, not wanting to lose this amazing would-be servant to some other ruler, or by god, Rumplestiltskin making her his slave, she sighed loudly and nodded. "Very well," she said.

~*~

On moving day, Tiana moved her humble things into her luxurious wing. It measured bigger than her house, and she was the only one who lived there. Her things only covered a corner of the wing, but Regina assured her she would make a handsome sum as the Royal Chef. More than enough to furnish her wing.

As she walked around, she found a good sized room that peasants could come and sit and eat. She decided would cook after hours and reheat her food, since, ironically, her kitchen here was so small. She was in her own personal heaven, knowing not only was she making so many people in her village proud and at the same time, but also helping them as she always did.

Even after settling in with her things, it took a while before Tiana had become acquainted with her change of lifestyle. She was happy to be living her dream, but having people curtsy and bow to her was definitely taking getting used to, and it sort of made her lonely. Her staff was kind enough, and they were nice enough to include her when they went to pubs, but she was never much of a drinker and that left her to be lonely. She missed her regulars and the tales and stories they brought to entertain her, but most of all, her family. The only time she saw any of them and felt like the old days were the days when she opened the gates on her days off.

~*~

Eventually, the title 'Royal Chef' came to be more like a servant position than an honorable one. It was during one of the many days Tiana spent the day over an oven, cooking for a royal festivity, making sure every pot pie was perfect that she felt the loneliest. It was too quiet in the kitchen, something she hadn't gotten used to. She was so busy preparing, she didn’t notice the door opening, and walked into it.

She immediately dropped the pan that she had been using, cursing as she quickly picked up the burned shepherd's pies, all the while putting on her politest face, assuring him it was fine, not it his fault, people thought this was the bathroom all the time, which was such a lie. They talked for a little, and after a few minutes she gave the prince directions to the nearest bathroom, expecting to never hear from him again. She hated princes and catering to them. Apparently, though, he wasn't done with her.

Tiana smiled as he walked back in, though it was more of a grimace, asking him how he was ever going to find a princess if he wasn’t at the dance. He shrugged, explaining how badly he hated these things, and how boring they were to people like him.

“Plus,” he said in a dramatic whisper, “The Queen always makes these dances about her, and the most interesting girl is in here.”

Tiana couldn’t help but laugh, telling him he couldn’t say things like that! Especially not in the Queen’s own castle. She had no business flirting with a prince. No. None. Not. At. _All._

“How is she ever going to know?” Naveen asked pompously, “I am a prince after all.”

Of course, the Evil Queen did find out, which confirmed the rumor that she did, in fact, have eyes everywhere. She said to Naveen she didn’t care what kingdom he was prince from -- in her kingdom he was the equivalent of a lowly peasant, and he must apologize.

When Naveen scoffed, and said he would not be treated that way, Regina laughed, and he disappeared.

“Where did he go?” Tiana asked, horrified.

“A jail cell, where he belongs.”

Regina snapped her fingers, and vanished in a fit of black smoke.

Though she didn't really know Naveen, she decide to sneak down to the jail cells, to find Naveen's cell. He rolled his eyes at her worry, declaring his father would be on it. All he would get was a 'free night' in the castle, would be out by morning.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Regina was too powerful for Naveen's father, and left him stuck in jail.

~*~

Weeks later, Tiana was catering (and slaving) at a party where she met Charlotte La Bouff, a princess who, at first look, was just like all the others Tiana had met since she took the job --  taking extra helpings of food, talking immensely about herself and scouring the party to find a prince.

About an hour after she had served everyone at the castle the full five-course meal, Tiana walked back to the kitchen, rubbing her throbbing head. As she sat down to eat something she had prepared, she found a plate set for her in the kitchen full of the tasty foods she had just served with a note that said:

Even servants deserve to feast!!! xx Charlotte La Bouff  

Tiana smiled as she dug in, discovering that she was hungrier than she realized. She sent a note back to Charlotte, saying thanks for the royal food x T. Soon, she and Charlotte began to exchange letters, and in one letter Charlotte admitted her kingdom was low on crops

Tiana sent Charlotte some recipes that would help them get by, worried about her friend. Because Tiana helped her, they were officially (and actually knighted) as BEST FRIENDS, which led to Charlotte coming by whenever she found it convenient-- so every day. Though unconventional, Tiana enjoyed the company. Every day they snuck food to Naveen wherever they could. He became what Charlotte called Tiana's honorary boyfriend, and  Tiana denied resolutely.

Eventually, Charlotte joined Tiana in dreaming up what could be - her plans to help Tiana leave this dreaded castle and open up a wonderful restaurant in Charlotte’s Kingdom and about the day Charlotte’s prince would come, however cliche Tiana believed that was.

~*~

One day, Tiana's sous-chef, Anita, ran up to her in a fit of tears. Tiana quickly tried to calm her down, but nothing worked. When nothing worked Tiana finally poured her a glass of the finest alcohol the castle had to offer, only to be used in emergencies. Anita drank the alcohol as quickly as she could, fanning her face as she slumped against the counter, immediately calmed, her hair all over that's night lasagna.

“I heard—The Dark One," too afraid to even say his name, "and the Evil Queen talking." Anita said.

At this point most of the chefs walked away, too afraid of both individuals, especially working together.  Anita kept talking.

“They were talking about a curse,” the young woman said. “The darkest of curses. A curse that can take everyone away from the Enchanted Forest, and put them in a horrible world.”

Immediately, Tiana stood up, and brushed the flour off of her dress. “I’m going to figure this out,” she said.

All the eyes in the kitchen widened, all turning to face her, even those who had “stopped listening”.

“You know you can’t talk to the Evil Queen! Especially not from something overheard!” one member of her staff shouted.

Tiana looked at them all, taking a deep breath. “I’m not. I’m going to see the Dark One.”

 

****  
  



End file.
